Employees without UK work permits arrested in Rochester

Officers from the UK Border Agency (UKBA) received intelligence regarding Borstal Fish Bar on Borstal Street and visited the premises last month (April 28th) to conduct a search. They checked the immigration status of all the staff there and discovered two men from India who were working illegally.

The first, a 26-year-old, was found to have failed to leave the country after his UK visa expiration date, while the second, who was 21, was working in breach of the conditions of his UK visa.

Karyn Dunning, head of the UKBA local immigration team for Kent, commented: "Illegal working has a serious impact on communities, taking jobs from those who are genuinely allowed to work and undercutting law-abiding businesses.

"We are cracking down on businesses which employ illegal staff as well as well as arresting and removing anyone who has no right to be in the UK."

The men have since been arrested and taken in to an immigration detention centre pending their removal from the country.

However, the Borstal Fish Bar could have further problems on its hands. The restaurant has been handed a penalty notice for employing illegal workers, but if it is unable to provide evidence that the correct pre-employment checks were conducted before hiring the men, it could also face a fine of £20,000.